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I was thinking about the senior class of Hockomock track and figured I'd spend a little extra time recognizing the many who have given to their programs. Their seasons are over and they will never compete within the Hockomock League again. How big a loss is it? Well, there are over twenty that have received STAward recognition – some many times. Added to that group are at least another 42 that represented their schools in state meet competition this year.

I am going to talk about a small group – maybe 60 or so. I realize it is only the tip of the iceberg. I'll leave out names that I should have remembered. I'll mention some that their own coaches might like to forget L . I had nine seniors on my own team this year and I'll be mentioning fewer than half. I hope the highlight film and senior poem at our banquet was enough for them

So at the risk of error by omission, here is my adieu to the Class of '06.

I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge Allie Cuozzo and Kyle Hitchcock, even though I only intend to talk about spring track. Each spent their last high school season in another sport (lacrosse-baseball) but they will both be running in college, Allie at BC and Kyle at Temple. I'll always remember how quiet Allie was, still you could always coax a small smile out of her – but never after she pummeled your runner. She was as humble as she was talented. Kyle became a great multi-eventer and a great ambassador, not only for North Attleboro but for the entire league. He made friends with our bitter rivals from Foxboro and even took another team's athlete to a prom. I remember the morning he came in and said, “Guess who I'm going to a prom with?” I thought for only ten seconds before I said, “Shanika?” Bingo! He also won the state pentathlon indoors. I don't know which feat was more impressive.

There are many throwers that I never got to meet because I'm usually on the oval. But Jen Reynolds, Kelly Regan, Jess Ivas and Irina Deane-Costa became known names, the latter three making the javelin area a tough place to score points against Mansfield.

Foxboro graduated a host of sprinters such as Laura Clagg, Megan Libon and Lynn Hamilton. Clagg was outstanding against us in the dual meet this spring. Now that Latif is gone, will the team still be sprint heavy? Kelly Cotter also goes, leaving big shoes to fill at triple jump.

It seems like Courtney Dacey has been at Franklin forever, but no longer. I'm sure we'll see her back at meets though. Alex Wessman has been a stalwart for distance at King Philip. She's thrown off quite a few runners with her quick start, leaving them wondering whether to go out hard with her or hope that she'd come back to them later in the race. You could never be sure what strategy to use against her.

Mansfield loses a lot more than just throwers. Brianna Sionne has been a mid-distance star and I can't believe Lauren Brown is leaving. Brianna's dad was always there to stop off and say hi. Brea and I e-mailed back and forth a little bit at the end of the season. Even though injuries slowed her down it never dampened her passion for the sport. I'll always think of Lauren as that innocent freshman that bounced around enjoying everthing she did. It seems like just yesterday she was sporting a cast on her arm, the result of youthful horseplay. And don't forget high-flying Liz Daley. When her steps were on she was untouchable.

A lot of the guys I don't know as well. But I'll mention some that my readers will miss. There's OA's Darren Fergussen and Canton's Alex Jean-Charles. They won't be sprinting down the track any more. Joe D'Agostino was one of Canton's fleet of high jumpers that will be going away. The neatest name in the Hock to graduate is Manasseh Remy. I could do a great poem with that one. Canton also loses hurdler Duogn Nguyen. Russell Burrows gets the team's award for least obtuse name.

The graduation of Jason O'Connell and Andrew Irwin give hope that someday Mansfield may have fewer great distance runners. The “other Collins”, Sharon's Will, is moving on leaving the Hornets with the last one. Franklin's Matt Mackenzie is taking his talents to Ohio Wesleyan and teammate Steve Brown won't be attacking hurdles anymore. Another unusual combination came out of OA as Jake Nevens ran the mile while still showing HJ ups. Maybe he didn't erase Powell's records, but I bet Jake could out-jump Andy.

North is losing a trio of throwers that include Jeff Pirri, Anthony DeBalsi and Alex Warot. Warot shocked many when he speared a Hockomock League Meet win. Another javelin athlete who stepped to the line, giving his best near the end was Stoughton's Matt Hoffman who grabbed 3 rd at Class B. I'll bet the Black Knights would like him back for another year.

I've got some tough questions for you?

How in the world is Franklin going to replace Sam Fontaine, both in jumping ability and personality. Can King Philip survive without their all-everything Josie Morse. She really got my attention this year. Once Shonneau Lippett is a star at Umass will she still come back to see Coach Darling? I finally grew to appreciate what Melissa Murphy does for Mansfield. Who will cover the quarter for them now, and provide deadly anchor legs in the 4X2 and 4X4?

How is it that I under-rated Christine Doherty for so long? She's had as good a senior year as anyone and will continue to blossom at Stonehill. Melissa Moul is another Canton dynamo that won't wear the green anymore. How many sleepless nights will Coach Coleman   have trying to replace her?

Adrian Li has been synonymous with quality high jumping. In fact, just two letters “Li” and you think vertical. Brian Miller gets a strong argument for “best all-around”. But, that title has to go to Justin Benjaminson. He capped a great senior year with some triple jumping excellence followed by a decathlon title. The Hockomock continued to prove the quality of its athletes. Hitchcock indoors and Benjaminson outdoors. Try to tell me there's a better league!

The middle two legs on NA's 4X100M, Robbie Vaughn and Conor Richardson, are off to play other sports in college (football-soccer). Robbie and Conor would also have done serious damage in the decathlon but they focused on New Englands as their final meet.

  And let's not forget our previous ST Award winners.

I'm going to start with two blue-chippers. Shanika and Holly racked up an impressive total of ST Awards. A sign of their accomplishments is that everyone knows them by just their first names. Each exploded on the scene early and had long, successful careers. Nobody will be filling those shoes. And a question for Kyle. Can Shanika dance as good as she can sprint?

On the guys side, there's been a lot of notable distance runners. Dan Cerqueira has logged a lot of miles and deuces for Mansfield. Paul Matz has been “the” distance program at KP while Itai Stein is – well you know – Itai Stein is indomitable.

Matt Gannon was a story in himself. No one came as far in four years as he did, from someone struggling as a freshman to finish a run to a well-known and feared runner.

But Dan Darcy set standard no other distance runner could match. There isn't a finer gentleman in the sport than Dan. He cares about all the runners in the league. He's always out there cheering, even when he's injured. And when he wasn't injured he was tough to beat, evidenced by his success all the way to the New England Championship.

Danius Keriikas won't be putting on any more high jump shows, but he was a treat to watch.   Aaron Fears spent a lot of time on the sidelines the last two years but went out with a bang. He anchored the winning 4X1 at both the Hocks and Class B Meet. That team also went on to break the school record and make it to the New Englands.

Dave Lint also lit it up big, both in relays and individually. Lint may be the last of Foxboro's stable of thoroughbred quarter-milers. He was untouchable this year in the one-lapper. He's going to make his college coach very happy!

Katie Meagher was always an enigma to me. I could never quite get a handle on her. I thought I knew what she could do in a mile and then like Emeral, BAM, she spiced things up with an awesome indoor mile.   Then I thought the Class B meet would be her final performance. Then, BAM again, she places third with an awesome half mile.

Ditto Emily Tran. She looked a little tired at Hocks. No biggie, since it's been a long year. Then she absolutely starred at the Class B meet.   Threw down a huge time. That's the Emily I know.

Hillary Crook has had a super career. She is one of the most decorated athletes in Mansfield history. I can't remember how many Hockomock, Class and State titles she's accumulated. All I know is that if you put all her medals in a box even she would have trouble lifting it.

Can Caitlin Lawrence really be graduating? I'm not afraid to say she's one of my favorites. I trust Amanda Walkin's (NA capt.-'05) judgement more than almost anyone else's. And when she tells me that she respects Caitlin the most – I gotta tell you – I had to agree. She has provided a lot of punch (and respect) for Franklin over the last few years. Whether hurdling or flying through the air, you always knew Caitlin was there.

Courtney Lincoln. If you fixed your hurdle form you'd beat TyLynn! I only pick on Courtney because she drove a stake through my heart at the league meet. Tinuke was leading the long jump competition through five rounds. T had posted a 17'1.5 while Courtney was mired at 16'4, all because of trouble with her steps. But Courtney hit the final jump right on and in mid-air I was already thinking expletives. Dang you Courtney!

I left my own team for last. That includes adopted runner Ngoc Pham. Ngoc won me over and it wasn't easy. As a sophomore she was competing in the heptathlon in Hingham. While high jumping she missed a jump and out slipped a bad word – a very bad word that is only four letters long. She immediately went into my doghouse. But she found a way to creep into the hearts of the NA kids, and my own. When athletes from other teams get into my end-of-season highlight film its because they happen to be in the background. Ngoc was there by choice – because she was a positive part of our season.

My team lives with and tolerates a constant stream of stories. If I have a point to make, I rarely go straight at it. Instead, the athlete is expected to understand how what happened to Cheryl Lyons during cross-country in 1991 is relevant to their own life. It might be a 1979 Jennifer Copley story, an '86 Melody Johnson specialty or a '97 Emily Estey saga. No matter! There are lessons to be learned from the past. My three captains are now a part of the past. They have all turned in their uniforms for the last time. But, they are more than just a footnote in the NA T&F history book. Even if their records are surpassed (which in itself will be tough for anyone to do) the way they conducted themselves and the routes they took to the top will provide the structure for lessons that will make future teams more successful.

Nobody is louder at meets than Tinuke Adeyemi. She can pierce the air with support for her teammates. They all hear her and they all love her. That was definite long before she started to perform amazingly. Even after she became a star, any time not spent in preparation for her own event was spent preparing someone else. I admired her for that.

But when it came to relay handoffs, I must admit that before this year she scared me. There didn't seem to be the consistency or composure needed for her to become a member of a 4X1 team that is expected to make it to the New England Championships every year. But I also expect athletes to have faith in themselves. I truly believe that if you go through the right steps AND have faith – good things will happen.

This year Tinuke's faith in herself was rewarded. She finally hit the board and soared 17'. She attacked the 200 with a passion and was rewarded with a Class B win and school record. And about those handoffs. I started getting goose bumps watching   Goldberg to Adeyemi in practice. I knew they were not just going to be good, but great. So when Tinuke finished carrying the baton to a 48.86, it was a lesson for both of us to have faith and good things will happen.

I could speak volumes about Adrienne Goldberg and her value to the 4X1. A year ago I mentioned to her that she would be considered as an anchor leg for this year's team. She couldn't believe her ears. Adrienne wanted no part of it, only because she felt that she ran best on the corner. She didn't need the glory of “bringing the stick home”.   She just wanted the team to be the best it could be. That made sense to me, as long as I could find a reasonable runner for the final spot. So, we made hay all season at the third leg. The theory was to get the baton to AG in decent position and she'd make sure we'd win. I actually liked being behind at that point because it made her run that much better.

But the story that most typifies Adrienne is what happened the first day of practice. I wanted no misconceptions about what being a part of the “NA Team” was all about so I brought the team into the auditorium and covered “A to Z”. When I was done AG asked if she could say something. She proceeded to lay down the law. There was to be no drama, no attitudes, no petty quarrels – in short – nothing to distract us from having successful team. I wish I had taped it. When she was done I asked coach Holster if he wanted to add anything. He just shook his head. It had all been said. It was impressive enough that when I got home I relayed the story to Arlene.

The result. AG got what she wanted. This was one of the most enjoyable seasons ever. I only tore out a few hairs (I only had a few left anyway).

A tough goodbye is Jenna Banks. We spent the last seven seasons together. I know we haven't yet put into perspective the last three years (she started track as a sophomore). From my viewpoint, it was the perfect coach/athlete relationship. I appreciate the fact that she put so much faith in my judgement. When we would break for the weekend, if I had forgotten to mention what she should do, Jenna never forgot to ask. So often you tell an athlete what they should do and you're lucky to get 80% compliance (this is relative to what they should be doing on their own – at practice everyone gives 100%). Jenna gave that 100% regardless of whether I was looking over her shoulder. Knowing that she was taking care of business on her time, it was much easier to gauge what she should do in her workouts.

Bottom line – she came so far so fast. Jenna would always glance at the record board. She set her eyes on goals that were so far in the distance that no one would have ever predicted she would get there. From a mile PR of 5:50 as a sophomore and 5:28 as a junior she finished at 5:16.7 as a senior. That was painfully .3 of a second short of her goal, but in chasing the mile record she established a level of success that makes her one of the top four distance runners in NA history. She holds four sub-5:20 races, Emily holds one (the record) and no other NA runner has ever gone sub 5:23. She is also #2 all-time in the 2-mile outdoors and holds the indoor record. She was also a Globe All-Scholastic XC runner.

Part of it was her inner drive and that created a desire to do everything right. When I gave her a summer program she followed it religiously. One goal was a 10-mile run the week before the XC season. Not a biggie – but a confirmation that she made the most of her summer. That confidence never left her throughout the season.

This spring I gradually gave up the reins to Jenna. More and more she had to fill in the gaps herself. My most difficult task was to convince her when to taper. She has proven my old adage that “the real power comes from within.”   I know Jenna has figured that out and will always succeed.

Well, that's my goodbye to seniors. I spent a little more time with my own athletes, knowing them that much better. Each team has their own stories they'd love to tell about their seniors. So, if you have a story you'd like to tell, send it to me. Really! I'd be happy to put it on the web-site.